Dittany - where is she now?

[PlectrumElectrum]

Just reading a reference to dittany on another thread & was struck by the feeling that in the current climate she's sorely missed (by me, maybe others too). Did anyone know her IRL? I often wonder where she went, what she's doing now with her feminism. I'd love her to make a triumphant return!

I only lurked back in 'her day' and found her posts challenging (in a good way - made me stop & think & question my own in built ideas, prejudices, and a lifetime of female socialisation - I was a crap feminist, of the 'it's all been done, I don't have anything left to do but enjoy the freedoms already fought for) type. I'm still a million miles behind others but I'm trying to do better

So to you dittany, wherever you are now & thanks for jolting me out of my ignorant feminist slumber

I was around before the FWR board was created, albeit under a different name. I would definitely say that Dittany made me the radical feminist I am today. I was a very liberal feminist but learned so much and had my arse handed to me more than once.

I do feel as though we were able to discuss a range of feminist issues and we have been awfully distracted by the trans agenda. It holds our feminist agenda back and it's a shame but probably just what the TRAs want. There were MRAs back then too of course so i'm not saying that things are really any different. Same shit, different acronym I guess.

Isn't it funny how the feminists on MN have always been flamed for something or other eh?

So that's why mine were deleted. Are you going to paint that as sinister?

What a strange response. I closed my account as I suspected a poster was going to out me in real life. MN would not make a wholesale deletion of posts. I was asked to identify specific posts.

Dittany had gone before I joined but there are older threads which have poster after poster deleted. I wondered why. Dittany's were gone before I even joined. Jeff/hackergate was relatively recent was it not?

It was in 2015

And I'm guessing MN wouldn't delete yours as there wasn't a specific risk to your safety.

thebewilderness
This is not a good thread for the Squirrel and I because we are the ones who comforted her when she was being abused here.
I am going to hide this thread now and I strongly recommend that LaSqrrl does the same.

Very good advice. I am out.

I miss the old days too. The trans issue does matter, and having gender critical voices out there is inportant, but... the board seems to be so monopolised by it at the moment, and some of the 'rad fems' posting under the anti trans banner are indistinguishable from plain old fashioned bigots. I really worry about where some of it is going.

Me too woman. I post less and less.

I thought of someone else I really miss yesterday. VestalVirgin. Omg I loved her. Totally uncompromising and hilarious.

so I am probably one of the new breed of posters on FWR that may be contributing to the board being rather trans dominated ( although I think I am easily distinguishable from a plain old fashioned bigot).

I did used to lurk on the board but never post, because I didn't feel qualified to.

The trans issue isn't arcane, it's just plain old fashioned cheeky fuckery - the natural enemy of any Mumsnetter. I wonder if that's why more people feel able to comment on that subject?

It also feels like something that can be changed. There's still time to not end up where Canada is.

Sometimes looking at the structural inequalities within patriarchy just feels hopeless. I can end up feeling that there's no way to change some of it.

I thought of someone else I really miss yesterday. VestalVirgin. Omg I loved her. Totally uncompromising and hilarious

I wonder about her. I rarely agreed with her but agree with your asessment. I did wonder if someone else was her but calling out a name change, no matter how recognisable the style, is poor behaviour.

reluctant please don't take it personally

I totally understand why the board is where it is. There is a pathway to peak trans:

1. make comment that implies somehow biology is the most important indicator of womanhood

2. get called a bigot and told to "educate yourself"

3. Google and find gendertrender/mumsnet threads

4. discover gems such as Stefonknee Wolscht, Paris Green, Tara Hudson, Hannah Mouncey all demanding to be recognised as women just like you

5. get the rage and reject the "bigot" label

6. want to discuss how mind blowingly ridiculous the whole thing is.

Mumsnet is the only place really to discuss it and the feminism board doesn't have as much "bigot!" being slung around as AIBU. So not surprising there is lots of threads.

Don't worry Quentin I'm not a take it personally kinda gal. This is a public forum and anyone can contribute (that's one of the great things about it), but I'm aware I'm a Johnny come lately and prefer not to spout off about things I don't know about.

now I'm here and posting I open and read the non trans threads, but generally don't contribute. wondering to myself really why that is.

reluctant

Same here

I do contribute

But its usually a picture...or a 'i dont understand' post or a 'trying to be nice' post occasionally there is a full on rant which is nice

I really miss feminist discussion that isn't trans related-although I do understand why there is so little at the moment. I have tried to start the occasional feminist thread on chat or AIBU, but the response is usually too depressing for it to be worth it.

Me too, Camper. I actually lean heavily towards radfem positions in a lot of ways but used to find FWR dry and academic so was happy to leave the properly qualified to it. The current cheeky fuckery being a clear and present danger to us all changed that.

I had a pathway similar to the one Quentin describes.

The feminist board has completely changed in the past few years from the board and now departed feminist posters. I was mostly a lurker and did find it interesting, definitely thought provoking if very academic and a bit intimidating and cliquey. Even saying that- i sort of miss the old board before it was taken over by trans issues - as infuriatingly important as they are. Hate to say it but transactivism has sort if derailed even weakened this board.

disagree that it's weakened the board Magpiesarehuge. This issue will pass and most posters will move on, but some will stick around.

I don't have much truck with the 'I remember when all this were fields' argument in any context.

I don't think it's weakened the board, it's made it more accessible. Every trans thread is full of posters talking about their biology, their experiences and their wants and needs. I think that's why trans debates have attracted so many new posters, it's given women the opportunity to talk about what they want, without talking about class analysis, or quoting feminist texts. I think trans debates spark a lot of questions in women that other feminist issues don't because it has the potential to impact our every day lives.

I'd like to thank Elephantsandmiasmas who I spoke to on one of those old book character threads and who told me FWR was a great place to hang out and who was always unfailingly nice and clever and funny and because of whom I now always try to sport poetry in my frequent NCs.

Thanks Elephants

reluctant definitely post on all threads!
I find it so sad that so many women say they don't want to post their opinion (feel intimidated, not clever enough etc). Personally one of the reasons I love MN is the really broad spectrum of viewpoints. I want to hear more from everyone

I think trans debates spark a lot of questions in women that other feminist issues don't because it has the potential to impact our every day lives.

I don't see how the trans debate has a greater impact on everyday lives than say violence against women or gendered expectation around domestic work; i.e. the kind of things that used to be discussed in FWR before the trans debate pushed everything else out.

Elephants is/was lovely

david I think in a practical way it may not have a huge impact on a large number of women. I think what is important about it is that it shows how little women are respected as a group and how quickly our opinions and voices are forced to be quiet.

I didn't say every other feminist issues. For some feminist issues eg prostitution it's not clear how it's damaging individual women on a day to day level, therefore many don't have as strong opinion on it. Redefining what it is to be a women does.

Posdible because we’ve known and lived with the violence, domestic crap deal forever and are worn down by it. Transactivists (males really) trying to redefine “woman/female/lesbian” and being aggressive about it - is a new in our face metaphorical and “not so metaphorical” kick in the teeth. Not sure if i used metaphorical correctly at all - just felt right and couldn’t be bothered it look it up.